A medium is a mean by which something is communicated or expressed (Oxford Dictionary). In linguistic terms, medium or media are the material resources used in the production of semiotic products and events, including both the tools and the materials used (e.g. the musical instrument and air; the chisel and the block of wood) (Kress, G., Van Leeuwen, T. (2001:22). According to Johnstone (2008:195) discourse is shaped by its medium. For instance the social relationships created over email or in “virtual” environments online may be different from those created in face to face talk or written letters (Johnstone, 2008:195).
In our case scenario, a letter sent via an email may be an appropriate mean of communication. A telephone call could be more direct thus the message communicated may be perceived differently.
The medium can be compared to the channel discussed in Shannon and Weaver’s communication model as shown in the image below. Thus needs to be carefully chosen in order to communicate the intended meaning of a message accurately.
Computer Mediated Communication (CMC)
With the considerable technological progress made over the last fifty years, one medium of communication that has become increasingly popular is the computer.
By definition a computer is “an electronic device which is capable of receiving information (data) in a particular form and of performing a sequence of operations in accordance with a predetermined but variable set of procedural instructions (program) to produce a result in the form of information or signals” (Oxford dictionary). In more simple terms a computer is a programmable device under which we will include mobile phones, desktops, laptops, “smart phones”, notebooks, etc...... We can therefore define CMC as “any human communication achieved though, or with the help of, computer technology” (Thurlow et al., 2009).
CMC has revolutionized the way we do business and modified human relationships. It is an asynchronous medium, meaning that time and space has been minimized as barriers to interaction (Kerr and Hiltz, 1982:3). People from all over the world can now communicate share their lives and opinions or build social networks through platforms such as facebook, myspace or twitter. Governments, politicians and companies can make information available to the public by creating their web page or blogs. You can not only read a newspaper but also comment on it and discuss about articles with others that are interested. See below
Companies have also managed to cut costs as video conferencing, online sales, online banking, etc have reduced the need for resources or extensive travelling.
Over all, computers have become a direct and indirect efficient medium of communication. They have created new genres such as blogs, emails or web pages that interlink spoken and written discourse, leading to a new field of study for sociolinguists!
For readers interested in CMC, I would recommend Elaine B. Kerr and Starr Roxanne Hiltz’s Computer-Mediated Communication Systems (1982). Although the book is nearly 20 years old and considerable progress in technology has been made since, it still offers a fascinating view on the effects and use of CMC.
_____________________________________________________
References
The economist online, (2010), Google and antitrust, Searching questions, Microsoft and other rivals cry foul against the internet-search giant. Accessed on the 24th February 2010. URL: http://www.economist.com/business-finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15576821
Johnstone, B. (2008) Discourse Analysis. 2ndedn. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing
Kerr, E.B. and Hiltz, S.R. (1982) Computer-Mediated Communication systems: Status and evaluation. London: Academic press.
Kress, G., Van Leeuwen, T. (2001) Multimodal discourses: The modes and media of contemporary communication, London: Hodder Arnold.
The Oxford Dictionary of English:
"Medium noun" The Oxford Dictionary of English (revised edition). Ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson. Oxford University Press, 2005. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Aston University. 21 February 2010. http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t140.e47454
"Computer noun" The Oxford Dictionary of English (revised edition). Ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson. Oxford University Press, 2005. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Aston University. 24 February 2010 http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t140.e15726
Thurlow, C., Lengel, L. & Tomic, A. (2009) Computer Mediated Communication: Social Interaction and the Internet. London: Sage
What interests me is what is next? Social networking is the new chosen communication genre but how long will this last. What form of CMC will we be using 50 years from now? Or has the computer reached its limitations with the emergence of mobile technology. Definitely a topic for further thought, interesting topic.
ReplyDeleteVery good question pointed out by Jack; it is definitely a topic for further thought. One other issue that I could have raised, and that is now open for discussion, is the potential negative impact of CMC on human relations and languages. Indeed, CMC reduces human contact, symbols can sometimes be misinterpreted and the numerous grammar and spelling rules that have existed for decades can sometimes be overlooked.
ReplyDeleteThis topic is interesting, the advancements in technology recent years really have changed the way in which we communicate. I just wondered what the effect is on people's grammer and spelling is? I know when I'm writing an email quickly, I sometimes makes mistakes, and write "ur" instead of "your" for example. Normally you wouldn't find this language in the work place, but because of people's time constraints, could this in the future become normal? Could be something to look further into.
ReplyDelete